BIG FILM COMBINE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 260, 2 November 1935, Page 22

BIG FILM COMBINE

N.Z. AND AUSTRALIAN MARKET An important amalgamation in British film distribution in New Zealand has just taken place, according to Mr. R. L. Grant, Dominion manager of Associated Distributors, Ltd., and British Empire Films, Ltd. The new combine is the formation of a single exchange to handle the product in Australia and New Zealand of British International Pictures, Associated Talking Pictures and the English General Film Distributors, Ltd./ embodying 14 distinct producing companies in the Old Country. The distributing service will be enabled to handle about 65 productions in the ensuing year.

The arrangement has no bearing on the contractual provisions for distribution of the product of British and Dominions Films, which have their own service; or of Gaumont-British or Korda's London Film Products, released through the Fox and United Artists circuits respectively.

Many first-line Hollywood stars are to be imported for the year's schedule of productions. Ann Harding, Marlenc Dietrich, Arthur Tracy ("The Street Singer"), Elissa Landi, Joel MeCrea, C. Aubrey Smith, Irene Dunne, Bela Lugosi, Leslie Howard, Anna Sten, Noah Beery. Maurice Chevalier and Henry Wilcoxon are some of the more prominent. The service iwill release in the - Dominion Britain's first full-length technicolour film, a version of "The Blue Lagoon," also such productions as Dumas' "Lady of the Camellias" (with Ann Harding and Clive Brook); "Bonny Prince 'Charlie," starring Leslie Howard; "Lady Hamilton," with Anna Sten; Chevalier's "Beloved Vagabond"; "Mystery of the Marie Celeste," * featuring Bela Lugosi; Sabatini's story, "The Marriage of Corbal," with Nils Asther and C. Aubrey Smith; Irene Dunne in "Glamorous Nights"; Richard Tauber in "Heart's Desire" and "I Pagliacci"; Elissa Landi in "Koe'nigsmark"; Clive Brook and Helen Vinson in "His Majesty's Pyjamas"; , Gracie Fields in "Queen of Hearts" and "Up with the Lark;" and Jack Buchanan in "When Knights Were Bold." None of the films will cost less than £80,000, some ranging from £100,000 to £150,000. Only two years ago Britain's most expensive film was made at a cost of £60,000.

The service will also release three Australian feature films. The first will .be "The Thoroughbred," starring tjje popular racehorse Peter Pan. Helen Twelvetrees will pass through Auckland later this month en route for Sydney to star in the feminine lead of this film. "Tall Timbers" and Rolfe Boldrewood's "Robbery Under Arms" are also contemplated in Sydney.